Amun Ini Resort Trip Recap

Amun Ini Beach Resort & Spa, it’s a mouthful but you will remember it well after you visit this gem on the island of Bohol, in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. What a joy! The resort has a comfortable, low-key vibe, but the service, food, rooms and diving make it a place worth remembering. I traveled with a group in May 2024 for my second stay. The first time I was there was right before COVID and on this visit I was happy to find the resort was better than ever!

Flying into Bohol isn’t difficult. After arriving at Manila you will fly to the island airport, called Tagbilaran, by either of the two domestic airlines of the Philippines. Then it’s 2 ½ hours by car from the Tagbilaran airport to the resort. Upon arrival at the resort, you are immediately immersed in another world of tropical breezes, beautiful ocean views and warm hospitality. Each of their deluxe rooms offers a partial ocean view, partial because of tropical vegetation, but you won’t miss the sound of the ocean and the exotic birds.

All rooms are the same except for either a 1 st or 2 nd floor location and twin or king beds. Each has a mini fridge, safe, hair dryer, TV, shower toiletries, a hot pot with teas/coffees for in-room coffee service, carafe of water, bathrobes, slippers and insect repellent. There is also chilled soda and beer in the fridge for purchase.

The restaurant has a diverse menu with salads, soups, flatbread pizza, pasta dishes, local favorites, a few international dishes, and always a special fish of the day at dinner. The kitchen and dining room staff do an amazing job of preparing and serving delicious food, with little wait time, and always a big smile. If you want to feel welcome come to Amun Ini.

Dive sites are a short ride away. There are 18 different diving sites with a boat ride of 10 minutes or less. We saw many turtles, one the size of a small car; orangutan crabs; popcorn shrimp; soft coral crabs; whip coral blennies; Frog fish of all sizes and colors, including the giant black frog fish; (I especially like the warty frog fish); peacock mantis shrimp with eggs; ornate ghost pipefish; robust ghost pipefish; candy crab; cuttlefish; peacock mantis shrimp; tiger mantis shrimp; zebra eel; snowflake moray; fire dart fish; Pegasus sea moth; so many great nudibranchs; but a pair of Nembrotha Chamberlaini mating might have been the best; porcelain crab; pygmy seahorses; scorpion fish; and two separate sightings of a juvenile peacock razorfish. Plus I’m told a whale shark swam right behind me but I never saw it myself…does that count too? Plus, they have a nightly mandarin fish dive. Although it was mostly wall diving, there were nice shallows at the top of the reef for safety stops and critter treasure hunts. It was dive after dive of great critters!

Amun Ini Dives uses traditional Philippine Bangkas with a comfort room and plenty of space for your gear to be stored, places to sit, and a camera table. Dive briefings are done at the main dive center since dive sites are so close. Getting on the boat is a little unusual with a narrow board from the sand up to the boat, kind of steep but with enough help from the dive staff it doesn’t require too much effort, just a bit of balance. Dive groups are typically 4 divers to a dive master and staggered entries, so not all the divers from the boat are at the same place at one time. Bottom time is about 60 minutes or low tank.

Local day tours can be done from the resort within an hour or two drive from the resort and include the Chocolate Hills, Tarsier primates at the wildlife sanctuary, lunch cruises along the Loboc River, local waterfalls, bamboo bridge and a dive or snorkel with whale sharks. But if you prefer some basic R & R the resort has spa treatments, a large pool for lounging and a sandy beach.

Consider Amun Ini Dive Resort & Spa for your next trip…you won’t be disappointed!